12 Weeks Pregnant

Now that the 'golden' second trimester has begun, you will find yourself settling into the pregnancy. Discomforts that you felt during early pregnancy might begin to disappear. During the first trimester, the levels of pregnancy hormones causing sickness are high. These now reduce, and you begin to feel less exhausted. And your baby's growth progresses quite rapidly.

Developments During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Here are some major developments that happen during week 12 of pregnancy.

The ankle joints have matured and the toes have separated

In the amniotic sac, there is room to move freely and your baby is very active. Amniotic fluid cushions the kicks and wriggles, so you won't feel anything

The baby's body has no underlying fat, and the bones look prominent beneath the delicate skin

At 13 weeks the average crown to rump length is 7.4cm (2.9in) and the average weight is 23g (0.8oz)

The eyes have moved more towards the front of the face but they are still tightly closed

Arms and legs are lengthening rapidly and muscle control is developing

By now your baby is 2.5 to 3-inches long, equivalent to the size of a peach. But, as the first trimester draws to a close your sex life might take a turn for better or for worse.

How Does Your Baby Develop In Week 12 Of Pregnancy?

By now your baby's tiny little fingers have fingertips and his or her organs or veins are pretty much visible by now through her thin paper-like skin. Slowly but gradually, your baby's body is catching up to match the size of that huge head he or she is carrying.

Ovaries for a girl:If it is a baby girl, by the 12th week of pregnancy she would be carrying around 2 million eggs in her ovaries

Urine production:Baby's fetus is about to produce and secret urine, while his or her button nose and thin lips have pretty much formed

Size and features:Being the size of a peapod, your baby by now weighs nearly an ounce. Want to visualize your little bundle of joy more now? Think of him or her as the size of a medium goldfish. Shorter than the size of your finger, baby's face is already showing unique and individualistic characteristics

Respiratory system:Slowly he or she might be taking bouts of prenatal hiccups, which are most probably strengthening your baby's diaphragm, which is getting prepared for a proper functioning of respiratory system

The respiratory system helps in absorbing nutrients and filtering waste effectively

Soon getting ready to take their first few breaths, as of now your baby is getting oxygen from the umbilical cord, while they are surrounded by amniotic fluid

Other organs:More so, your baby is getting his or her thyroid gland, gall bladder and pancreas getting developed. Baby's bone marrow is making white blood cells in order to fight infections later on. The bowel is taking shape at a steady progress while the vocal chords are too getting adequately developed

Skeletal growth:As far the development of skeleton is concerned, your baby is soon going to develop his or her collarbone and thigh bone

Movements:Right form kicking its legs to turning the head, your baby by now is properly yawning, swallowing and hiccupping. By now your baby is learning to move in a jerky fashion and getting the thumb into her mouth – a habit that is soon going to come handy during the newborn phase

So tiny yet so developed, how stunning is it to think all these activities that are happening just within you?

Changes In You During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

The best part about stepping into the 13th week of pregnancy is that by now your energy levels go up, thanks to the near end of morning sickness phase.

No or reduced nausea:By next two weeks, this feeling of nausea might just come to a complete end. Your taste and smell aversions of some peculiar foods and fragrances will stay with you throughout for the rest of your pregnancy.

Exercise routine:Slowly, you would be starting to feel better – a great time to try your hands on a new format of exercising and rev up your energy levels. You could try yoga or swimming as they both are pretty low-impact activities, that will help you in feeling calm and centered while preparing you for the labor.

Headaches:But unfortunately, some expectant mothers might still suffer from headaches, bloating and constipation, which can in all probability continue to extent all throughout the pregnancy.

Reduced risk of miscarriage:Your risk of miscarriage has pretty much subsided and by now you might also witness a sudden spike in your sexual urge.

Colostrum: Your breasts have already started to make colostrum – a nutrient-rich fluid, which feeds your baby for the very first few days soon after your birth, following to which your milk will start to grow.

Vaginal discharge: Referred to in medical terms of leukorrhea, the discharge from the vagina is essential for protecting the birth canal from any infections, and to maintain the balance of good bacteria. Use a panty liner to keep your underwear dry. As long as the discharge is not thick, and is white like milk and mild-smelling, you're doing fine!

Sex during pregnancy: Your feelings of jumping into the bed for a long night of lovemaking to just hugging your partner - each and every feeling related to sex during pregnancy is normal. Varied from one expectant mother to another, whatever you might be upset will change soon.

Nutrition For You During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Eating more every day comes with its own restrictions: You might have heard this a lot that during pregnancy you need to eat for two, but really don't follow any advice blindly and stay away from eating twice as much as food. You really need a minimum of 340-400 calories extra in a day in your third trimester and around 450-500 calories extra by your third trimester. Please note that levels of calories might vary based on your health weight, such as being overweight, underweight, or you are having twins or multiples.

Protein:You need a minimum of 71 grams of protein during this stage of pregnancy. Good sources of protein consist of tofu, fish, nuts, beans and soy products

Iron:Getting 27 milligrams of iron on daily basis is essential to keep the iron-related deficiencies such as anemia at bay. Best sources of iron include lean red meat, spinach, legumes like lentils, citrus fruits and sweet peppers

Calcium:You also need a minimum of 1,000 mg of calcium in a day, which is quite essential for the formation of bones and teeth in your body. Good sources of calcium consist of almond milk, soy milk, cheese, seafood, legumes and leafy greens

Exercise in water: Yes, you heard us right there! Exercising in water helps in easing up your tensed abdominal muscles by lightening your body to get the much-needed relief. Not only this, the buoyancy of the water helps in holding a few yoga poses more easily when compared to exercises done on floor

Nutrition For Your Growing Baby During Week 12 Of Pregnancy

Here are some important tips to ensure that the growing fetus gets the essential nutrition for development.

Accentuate your iron intake: You need quite a lot of iron on daily basis as it helps in making your red blood cells adequate for the growth and development of your baby.

It is easier to feel and be anemic if you don't stack up on adequate amounts of iron

Try poultry, fish, and red meat in order to absorb bulk of iron from non-vegetarian sources. In vegetarian sources, you can get your dose from pulses, spinach, lentils and iron-packed breakfast cereals

But be rest assured that you need to have a good source of Vitamin C food in order to absorb your iron more efficiently. Think of drinking lemonade or orange juice to stock up on Vitamin C

Cooking in iron utensils is also a great way to improve the content of iron in your food

Lastly, make sure to not drink too much of tea and coffee, as tannins in them tend to interfere with your iron supplement. Make sure to leave at least a minimum of one-hour of gap between your meal and tea or coffee session

Opt for a healthy veggie diet: If you are vegetarian, then iron and calcium can be your best friends.

Good sources of iron for vegetarians can be dried fruit, nuts, pulses, soya and soya products, along with dates, raisins and figs

Healthy snacks: They can be in the form of fruit lassi, freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, along with a fresh piece of chikoo or mango. Other nourishing and tasty snacks can consist of dhokla, wheat noodles cooked with vegetables, appam, dalia or ragi

Treat stretch marks in time: By now your body might be looking like a road map for pinkish or reddish streaks running all over your abdomen or breasts.

One of the best ways to decrease the occurrences of stretch marks is by gaining weight at a slower but gradual pace

Exercising adequately and applying Vitamin E lotions and glycerin-packed creams is indeed a great way to keep stretch marks at bay

Having twins? Read up: As if your belly's protruding and bursting isn't a concern enough for you, having twins might be another one of the most important considerations for you at this stage.

You are most probably going to have twins if you have a family history of fraternal twins or you are 35 years or above

If you are having a bigger-than-expected tummy, then in all likelihood you are likely to experience a bigger-than-expected baby, or may be two babies

But don't just jump to conclusions yet as you might be suffering from that extra bout of bloating or gaseous occurrences

Your partner's anxieties: If this is one of the biggest concerns for you by the 13th week of pregnancy, then it is about time you take your partner with you to your 'let-us-see-the-baby' ultrasound session. This is surely going to be one of the biggest milestones for him to get into the dad mode

Fight food cravings and aversions: While you might still yearn for weird foods and might want to sniff on mint leaves and lemons at all times, make sure to be not too hard on yourself. Do your best to find your healthy food alternative and totally allow yourself to submerge in small portions of cheesy and fried foods you crave

The expert says:"During the 13th week of pregnancy your uterus grows and you can feel it in the region above the pelvic bone. This might result in a sharp abdominal pain but there is nothing to worry about, it is just another part of your pregnancy. You also start producing breast milk which is yellow or slightly orange in color. Symptoms such as nausea and exhaustion continue to diminish from this week. Your belly continues to expand and you start feeling more energetic. This is one of the most enjoyable weeks of your pregnancy. Excellent nutrition is absolutely important, and exercise is also recommended at this stage of your pregnancy. Walking, yoga, swimming, and jogging are great options that you can enjoy."

Seasonal Pregnancy Care

Different seasons demand different types of care, especially when you're pregnant.

Summer: When the summers are on in full spring, make sure to not only exercise during the morning or evening timings. Limit paying visit to outdoor areas when the hot hours are blasting on and the sun rays are strongest, i.e. between 11 am to 4 pm.

Monsoon: Keep your home germs and dirt free during monsoon as germs are most likely to lead to serious skin or stomach infections. Protect yourself from dengue or malaria by bathing in neem water and keeping yourself covered at all times.

Winter: Pregnancy in winter is all about layering on to feel the ease, especially when you are outside the comforts of your home. Make certain to protect your fingers and toes and do not stay too much in front of heaters as it can give you hot flashes, and remember your body temperature is already high during pregnancy!

Eat the right foods, get some exercise, stay healthy and happy during your pregnancy! We wish you all the best.

Did you find the blog on Week 12 of pregnancy useful? Share your feedback with us in the comments section!